norinco revolvers

Are you planning to import any norinco revolvers?
(P.s. thanks for the tt33 with wood grips. Very nice. I'll be cleaning that baby this weekend.)

So Norinco does make revolvers! They have an NP50 model that looks a lot like a S&W. Not a lot of information on them though. I'd like to take a look at one.

Pretty sure that this isn't gonna happen any time soon.

I was wondering why there weren't any cheap Chinese S&W clones, considering they're just as out-of-patent as the other clones Norc makes.

Definitely interested to see if/where this goes.

If you've ever worked on a revolver, you might understand why they aren't readily marketed as knockoffs! The active parts have to be so perfectly machined and mated to each other as one part can control several different functions. The 'bolt' in a single action revolver looks like one fairly simple piece of steel that actually controls cylinder movement, trigger movement, hand and hammer movement/engagement and release. Change the thickness or the temper of the two thin 'legs' on the back of the bolt and you have a completely fubar'd gun.....I know because after much trial and error I managed to make one! That is just ONE part in one of the simplest revolver designs around. I'm not saying that Norinco or the Turks CAN'T make a good one, I'm just saying that it's unlikely that anyone can make MANY that would be reliable and function with longevity without being more expensive than those already offered by the current manufacturers. Compare a Rolex to an identical knockoff. Which one would you choose if your life depended on accurate time?

I was thinking the same, revolvers have to be pretty precise.

Originally Posted by handofzeus

If you've ever worked on a revolver, you might understand why they aren't readily marketed as knockoffs! The active parts have to be so perfectly machined and mated to each other as one part can control several different functions. The 'bolt' in a single action revolver looks like one fairly simple piece of steel that actually controls cylinder movement, trigger movement, hand and hammer movement/engagement and release. Change the thickness or the temper of the two thin 'legs' on the back of the bolt and you have a completely fubar'd gun.....I know because after much trial and error I managed to make one! That is just ONE part in one of the simplest revolver designs around. I'm not saying that Norinco or the Turks CAN'T make a good one, I'm just saying that it's unlikely that anyone can make MANY that would be reliable and function with longevity without being more expensive than those already offered by the current manufacturers. Compare a Rolex to an identical knockoff. Which one would you choose if your life depended on accurate time?

And yet Sam Colt was able to do it in 1836. I think that the Chinese should be able to do it in 2012. As far as cost, why would the comparable cost be any higher than a comparable cost treadmill, or fridge, or stove, or watch, or everything else that we buy?(Which is ALL made in China!)

I always seems odd to me that everyone dumps on the Chinese for making crappy stuff. China isn't making crappy stuff because they can't make it any better, they make crappy stuff because that is what we ask them to make. Walmart, Canadian Tire, Home Depot, they specifically contract Chinese companies to make barely acceptable goods for the least amount of money possible. The Chinese will build what they are contracted to build, and that includes the Dollar Store stuff. Odd how everyone dumps on the Chinese for building crappy stuff, yet praises Apple for making the best sexy plastic out there. Where do you think Apple stuff is built?

In regards to revolvers, I agree, they would be a nightmare to build in quantity, just given the amount of craftsmanship that would need to go into each one to make it work well. If anyone could do it, the Chinese probably could. Getting a revolver to work perfectly would require labour and an artisan's touch. China has lots of cheap labour, modern machining, but training someone to have that artisan's touch is not their forte. To do that, you would really want to establish a long-term industry, and that requires long-term demand. It is so much easier to just build a Glock.

No way would I trust a revolver made my Norinco to hold up...very fine tuning is needed on revolvers to have they work properly and to be safe to use and that is something they (Norinco) are NOT know for!!!

Enlight us John!